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Kaffe Fassett at the FTM

On Tuesday my friend and I went to the Fashion and Textile Museum to see Kaffe Fassett – A Life in Colour. The last time I went to see his work was at the V&A in 1988 (was it really that long ago?), it was a record breaking exhibition with queues around the block. I was already a bit of a Kaffe addict having been knitting the patterns he wrote for Rowan and making up the tapestries.

This exhibition reminded me how fresh and exhilarating his approach to colour is. I have a half finished crochet blanket which I started just after my Mother died in 2009. It is based on one of Kaffe’s quilts and I chose the wool using the “colour recipe” he gives for recreating it. I love working on it but other projects always seem to get in the way. Seeing the exhibition makes we want to get it out again and give it another go.

Some criticise his knitwear for being shapeless (which it is) but this rather misses the point which is that the colours are fundamental. You can take his ideas and use them to create something beautiful yourself, in fact he actively encourages this.

Anyway the exhibition is fabulous and, as always, I recommend you go if you can get to it. We had lunch at Jose’s (again) and stuck our head around the door of Susie Stone who makes bespoke women’s wear. She kindly invited us in when she saw us peering through the window and gave us a bit of a tour of her business (her silk satin LIberty print dresses are to die for).

Kaffe finishes on 29 June and in July the museum reopens with a Zandra Rhodes exhibition – she founded the museum so it should be a good one. Just don’t try to go on a Monday as it’s closed that day (don’t ask how I know).

3 thoughts on “Kaffe Fassett at the FTM”

Went to this exhibition in May, stunning to see these exhibits in the flesh. We were there on a wet Saturday (cup final day) which we were horrified when we realised, having booked our rail and V and A Tudor tickets way back in January. Travelling from Cheshire we realised that we may be sharing the train with Man City and Wigan supporters, but our train at 7.10 was too early for them. After the V &A we travelled to London Bridge and walked to the Fashion and Textile Museum. A must for Fassett fans fabulous!! We then discovered Maltby Street Market at the Ropewalk nearby, and had the most delicious pastrami and salt beef sandwich from Montys Deli ( a pop up deli on a Saturday), treat yourself!!!